Bags containing biological substances such as plasma, blood, blood products, and medication can be supplied to medical facilities for transfusion in large volume on a daily basis. These bags can be frozen, stored in inventory upon arrival, and thawed to a designated temperature just prior to transfusion.
The quality of thawed biological substances can depend upon the process by which they are thawed. Underheating a biological substance can cause patients to experience hypothermia. Conversely, overheating a biological substance can cause severe damage (e.g., denaturation) to proteins and other components that can reduce the quality of the transfused fluid, endangering patients.
Accordingly, improved methods and devices are needed to thawing biological substances.